As succulent as a steak can be, not every cut is suitable enough for grilling. Beef, lamb & veal can all be delicious at the end, as long as they are handled with care so the results are as delicious as your expectations! grilling tips
- Best Cuts: Tenderloin, Rib Eye, Skirt, Fillet Mignon, Sirloin, Flank, Porterhouse, T-Bone.
- Take your steak out of the fridge at least 20 minutes in advance, so it will cook evenly.
- Brush your grill or pan lightly with some oil so that the steak doesn’t stick, you don’t want to use a large amount of oil or else you’d be frying it and it can waste all the fat.
- Try to pick your steak with some marbling (white lines of fat), this keeps it tender and the fat creates a really nice flavor when cooked.
- Don’t flip the meat until it’s ready to be moved, or else it will fall apart and stick to the pan. Be very gentle as you flip it from side to side, and only turn it once.
- Do the hand test when you cook your steak – never press it down with a fork or any other kitchen tool or you will let the water out and therefore it won’t be as juicy or moist as it should be. For well done it should feel firm, medium it should be springy to the touch and rare it will be very soft.
- Always let your steaks rest wrapped in foil for 5 minutes before serving, so that the water re-distributes itself inside the center of the steak again and it retains moisture.
Cuts to avoid for grilling
There are parts that aren’t for grilling at all as they come from the tougher part of beef/veal, they taste best when broiled, braised, slow cooked or mixed with other cuts. Those cuts are the chuck (sometimes mixed with ground beef for burgers), brisket (corned beef, pastrami), shank (stews & soups) & plate (other form of short ribs sometime used in fajitas). grilling tips
Marinades that you can’t go wrong with
- Natural: Olive oil, salt, pepper.
- Asian: Soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, chili, salt, pepper.
- Chimichurri: Shredded fresh parsley, cilantro, oregano, red pepper flakes, vinegar, olive oil.
- Smokey: Worcestershire sauce, paprika, BBQ sauce, lemon, salt, pepper.
- Dijon : Dijon, rosemary, shredded onion
- Garlic Thyme: Minced garlic, fresh thyme, olive oil, salt, pepper.
Classic Steak with Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients: grilling tips
- 2 fillet steaks – at room temperature
- 2 to 3 tablespoons mixed peppercorns
- 60g butter
- 1 small onion, minced
- 100ml beef stock
- 60ml double cream
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Crush the peppercorns slightly and set aside.
- Grill your steaks when pan brushed with oil becomes very hot, and flip once depending on your preferred doneness. Set aside and wrap in foil, allowing them to rest. grilling tips
- Using the same pan gives your sauce a richer flavor, but you can always also use a new one.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the peppercorns and cook for another 3 minutes, then add stock and boil another 3 minutes.
- Finally, add the cream and reduce the heat to medium. Heat through, but don’t allow the peppercorn sauce to boil. Once the sauce is at your desired thickness, test for seasoning. Add salt if necessary, then serve with your steak.
References
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/bobby-flay-s-top-ten-grilling-tips.html
http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/the-5-best-steak-cuts-for-the-grill
http://barbecuebible.com/2013/08/15/the-10-best-steaks-for-grilling/
http://www.essentialchefs.com/best-and-worst-cuts-of-beef/
http://tipnut.com/steak-marinade-recipes/
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/10105/peppercorn-sauce-for-steak.aspx
